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NTCA Testimony on Rural Telemedicine

(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) ARLINGTON, Va., July 31 -- NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association issued the following news release:
Maggie Basgall, community development specialist for Nex-Tech (Lenora, Kan.), testified today before the House Small Business Subcommittee on Health and Technology hearing, "Telemedicine: A Prescription for Small Medical Practices?"
The following is excerpted from Basgall's written testimony:
"Broadband can play a special role in rural areas by enabling greater telemedicine functionality and helping residents overcome the challenges of distance that make so many tasks more expensive and time consuming. ... We cannot hope to realize the full benefits of broadband for the provision of healthcare generally, and telemedicine more specifically in rural areas, if outdated rules deny support for broadband-capable network investments or the threat of adverse changes to these USF rules create uncertainty in making the decisions to undertake such long-term investments. Sufficient and predictable USF support that provides recovery for both the initial costs of installing a rural broadband network and the ongoing costs of operating and upgrading that network over time must be seen as a prerequisite to any successful efforts in telemedicine. Rural America will not realize the promise of telemedicine without a broadband-oriented USF that offers carriers the regulatory certainty needed to make network investments. Support through the USF Rural Health Care Fund and RUS Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program for doctors and nurses who need to purchase hardware, software, and telecom services will continue to be helpful in the advancement of telemedicine."
The full text of the submitted written testimony is available online. (http://www.ntca.org/images/stories/Documents/Press_Center/2014_Releases/mbasgalltestimony_htsubcomm_july312014%20-%201.pdf)
An archive of the hearing is available on the subcomittee's YouTube channel.